Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-08-11
THE BASEBALL RECORD.
The Fight Between Detroit,
Chicago, and Boston Grow
ing Sharper.
Changes In the Detroit Team-Othel
Baseball News and
Gossip.
[cHIcAGo CORRESPONDENCE /

[CHIcAGo CORRESPONDENCE
Fourteen weeks of the League champion
ship season have passed, and the teams in
the race, from the leaders to the tail-end-
ers ara playing better ball, upon the aver
age, than has been known before in the
history Of the game professionally. In the
opinion of nine out of ten Chicagoans
nothing short Of the collapse of the team
can prevent the White Stockings from
winning the pennant again this season.
This is a most gratifying change in the
drift Of public opinion and sentiment, for
not more than six weeks ago an indignant
public in this city was freely expressing its
disgust at the policy of President Spald-
ing and Capt. Anson in releasing what was
looked upon as the most valuable men in
the team, and thus running the chances of
the city for even a decent standing in this
| years race. Messrs. Anson and Spalding,
however, builded wiser than the public
knew, with the result that Chicago has
probably the most capable ball team to.
day that it ever had. The raco
thus far has been desperate struggle
from the start. With such strong clubs as
Pittsburg, Philadelphia, New York, Bos-
ton, and Detroit ahead of him, Anson's
task to pilot his own nine TO the top was
thought TO be too great for the famous
captain to accomplish. But he has done
II, thanks to his own matchless guidance
and the wonderful playing of his men, and
to-day he stands the same excellent chance
OF winning the flag as he did at this time
last year. The squirt made by the Chica-
Ros is without parallel in the history of
the league. 1t is a record such as will prob
aRlly. pot be made again in..SeasseI fi5ass.af
in upon Anson from all sections of the
country for moro than a month past, and
there seems not to be sign remaining of
the condemnatory and critical spirit that
existed everywhere against Arson and the
club at the outset Of the season.
HOME AGAIN.
The champions returned last week from
their second Eastern trip, and are now upon
the Chicago grounds for series of games
with all the Eastern clubs and three games
| with Detroit. The boys are playing PEN
| nant ball in every game. The three bat
teries are in splendid form, and every man
| in the team has got his eyes on the ball.
| Sullivan, Pfeffer, Clarkson and Baldwin
have picked up in their batting the past
week, while Burns, Van Haltren and Will
hanson have dropped off little. The
most pronounced feature of the teams play
is the field-work of Pfetfer, Burns and
Williamson. The latter is without doubt
the finest short stop in the League. His
play, which was always good, has become
phenomenal, and is attracting attention sll
over the country. Glasscock's title OF
"Kin< of Short stops" is rapidly waning in
the light of Williamson's work. Pfeffer is
also playing remarkable ball, and the same
may be said of Burns. The out-feld ap-
pears to be pretty near impregnable. Sui
livan is covering more ground than sum-
mer squash-vine, and Ryan, in center. is
attending to nearly everything that comes
his way.
BosToN's WORK.
As for Boston, the team next TO Chicago
in the race, there seems TO be something
between its players and winning ball
which even the influence of the great and
only Kelly can not dispel. IL seems 70 be
peculiarly unfortunate away from home.
When the boys from the Hub came West
early in the summer Kelly got so badly
crippled that he could not play. Several
other members of the team were suffering
from injuries. The boys had not been
away from home two days on the present
trip when Hornung was taken i'll and bad
20 be left in New York. Kelly is now
doubled up with cramps, and is scarcely
able to play. With Kelly and Hornunp
out of condition, there isn't much
left in the Boston team TO whip. The
clnh will be in great luck If IL ragains tbs
ground.t has lost during the past week.
THE OTHER CLUBS.
IL would be we'll for everybody 10 keeI
an eye on Philadelphia and New York
These clubs are not so very far behind, and
what is more interesting, they are playing
stronger ball as the season advances. One
or both OF these clubs will cause som,
trouble. OF the tail-enders Pittsbur Il
has been playing the better ball during thu
past week. The fielding of this team lat
been very fine all season, but they are still
lamentably weak with tho stick. IL th
club had had half dozen good batters a
the beginning of the season it would hav
hand in the fight to-day. Indianapoli
and Washington are showing a marked
improvement in playing strength, tn
Eastern club in particular playing some o
the greatest ball recorded this year.
great many people seem to have mad
up their minds that Detroit is going 4
take a very big tumble in the race. On
Chicago paper in pIrticular expresses tn
opinion that il will be beaten on
by Chicago, Boston, and New York
and that even Philadelphia will give 1t
tough tussle before the season ends. i
the opinion of your correspondent this is
mistaken idea. In the face of oil this sol
OF predictions tnnJ nave Dcen MADE 1Or
month past, Detroit has gone right alon
playing good ball. defeating the League
best teams, and staying at the TO
of the string in the race, On
the probabilities would, to an unprejudice
mind, seem 10 point to its continuing as
IS is nnless Chicago alone among all th
!. 9th clubs can overtake il.
!, During the past week the managemeI
of the Wolverines has spent no less tina
$1,000 in securing new players, faG
which proves more conclusively than any
thing else that the club intends staying
the League for not only the present sense
but so many more rs 1t chooses. Th
three men secured in the latest deals nj
good ones. Gruber, the successful pitcht
os the Hartford Comm Club, wa
the first one signed, and he has been trie
and has given satisfaction. The Other
are Beatin and Kins!ow, the crack batter
OF the Allentown (Pa.) Club, and IL rec
ords count for anything they will prov
valuable additions 10 the niue. With IL
new material thus secured the club has
great deal more material than is needle,
4 and IL is but natural TO suppose that som
of those who are considered the least us,
full will be allowed to go. The probabil
ties are that Briody and Weidman will
among those which the club will let go.
Cox CREGAN.